"THE BIBLE AND JUDGING"

We've all heard it, "You're not the judge of me!" or, "God is the Judge, not
you!"

These defensive terms are used often in the world of religion and even secular
society often today.

But the question should be, "What does the Bible teach about judging?" and, "Are we
really judging others when we only said what God has said?"

In this sermon we will investigate for ourselves what the Bible teaches about the all
so important topic of Judging.

DISCUSSION

I. ALL WILL BE JUDGED

Almost none that hold to the erroneous view that the Bible teaches us not to judge
will contend that the Bible teaches there will be a Judgment Day in which all men will be
judged.

Paul told his audience in Corinth that every body who ever lived would stand before
God in Judgment: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it
be good or bad." {2 Corinthians 5:10}.

There will be a day that all will appear before the Judgment seat of Christ; none
will pass over that day.

In this Day every one will receive what he or she deserves according to how they
behaved themselves while living in the flesh.

We are being judged by our actions now, but will pay the consequences later.

Jesus gave a grave reminder of the consequences of not heeding His words regarding
the Judgment: "And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came
not to judge the world, but to save the world.47 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not
my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day48" {John 12:47,48}.

Jesus said He personally was not the Judge of those who did not listen to what He had
to say.

However, He did say that what He said was going to be the ultimate judge of
mankind.

Someone may be told something today that they consider judgmental; nevertheless, if
what we say is according to God's Word the judgment comes from God, not us.

John sees the Last Day depicted as a great Judgement scene for every one who has ever
lived {Revelation 20:12-15}.

No one will escape the Final Judgment on the last day.

All will be judged according to what they have done, according to what is written in
the books.

The first book could be the books of the Bible. If that is true, then if someone
tells someone else what the Bible says about the way they are living, then we can judge
according to the word of God.

II. PROPER JUDGING

When judging is done according to the Scriptures it will purge out sin among the
church {1 Corinthians 5:1ff}.

Reproach was being brought upon the church because of this brother's grievous
sin.

Paul has already judged because he knew the facts about the situation and he knew
God's law in the matter.

They were to withdraw fellowship from this man before the whole church was brought
down by the open, heinous sin.

When the old leaven (sin) was purged (judged) the lump (the church of Christ in
Corinth) would once again be spiritually clean.

The same man was later restored to good stead with God because the brethren chose to
obey God and judge this man.

In fact, the apostle had to admonish them to cease withdrawing fellowship from
him: "Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that
contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed
up with overmuch sorrow" {2 Corinthians 2:6,7}.

The results of what much of the world terms judging was restoration of a soul.

What if the church in Corinth had not judged this man's sin? Where would he have
wound up spending eternity?

Jesus spoke of a proper judging that should be done: "Judge not according to
appearance, but judge righteous judgment" {John 7:24}.

The Jews were guilty of judging Jesus when he had done nothing against the Law of
Moses.

The same holds true today. One cannot judge another based on appearance or what we
think we see or know.

Judgment must be based on the facts of any matter, i.e., we must judge
righteously.

III. IMPROPER JUDGING

The Jews in the early church in Rome were guilty of improper judging of their gentile
brethren {Romans 2:1-4}.

The Jews were guilty of the same sins as the Gentiles, but they were castigating the
Gentiles for doing them.

Thus, God will judge the Jews because they have hypocritically judged the Gentiles.

The apostle continues with his denunciation of the Jews because they were also
hypocritical in their teaching of others {2:21-23}.

The passage most often associated and misquoted in regards to judging is found in the
Sermon on the Mount: "1Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye
judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you
again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not
the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out
the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite,
first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out
the mote out of thy brother's eye" {Matthew 7:1-5}.

The judging problem Jesus is addressing is that of one who hypocritically judges
another's actions, while they are committing the more open and vile sins.

The point is that we should make sure our lives are free of sin before we begin to
reprimand someone else.

CONCLUSION

If I can use the Bible to teach someone that they will go to Heaven if they do what
the Bible says; why then can I not use the Bible to teach someone that if they do not do
what the Bible says they are going to hell.

By implication, if I teach someone what he or she must do to go to Heaven from the
Bible I have also shown him or her what will happen if they don't.

If I can't use the Bible for one, I can't use the Bible for the other.

We could never teach or preach a single Bible principle if this erroneous doctrine
were true.